A Night With The Most Colourful Man In Thai Politics. by bkkshadow

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· @bkkshadow ·
$18.21
A Night With The Most Colourful Man In Thai Politics.
Former brothel owner, politician & until recently convicted criminal and then pardoned by the King,  Chuwit Kamolvisit certainly has an unusual resume.
- - -
https://usercontent2.hubstatic.com/5494247_f520.jpg
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In a land of politics run by retired Army generals, culturally conservative dinosaurs, and the occasional Oxford-educated rich kid, somebody like Chuwit breaks the mold in so many ways. It was therefore with some glee that I accepted the invitation to hear him speak at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand last Wednesday Evening. Friends had heard him speak before, and said he was quite entertaining.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/img/news/2012/02/11/30175679/30175679-01-sld.jpg

## CHUWIT KAMOLVISIT
Chuwit grew rich and infamous during the 90's for running some of the most upmarket massage parlours in Bangkok. He also kept a book on all the "influential" people who visited his establishments, and those he gave brown envelopes to keep his doors open. After getting out of the massage game, he decided to fight corruption and took two failed runs at becoming Bangkok Governor. 
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## CHUWIT FIGHTING PDRC PROTESTORS
https://muaythaionthebrain.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/chuvit-staged-crop.jpg

Chuwit formed his own small political parties, and got elected to parliament twice. The second time he was kicked out by the Constitutional Court for what he describes as a "technicality". In between doing all of this he has been kidnapped (allegedly), and named the Man of the Year by The Nation News Network. He has also been sent to prison twice.
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## RUNNING FOR BANGKOK GOVERNOR
http://2bangkok.com/images/chuwit03.jpg
- - -
Chuwit was only recently pardoned from his most recent incarceration. He was among 30,000 inmates pardoned and released in December by the new Thai King. This was after spending 11 months inside one of Bangkok's notorious hell-hole prisons. This gave him a first-hand insight and knowledge of the weakness of the Thai penal system. His sentence followed the overnight destruction more than a decade ago of a group of "beers bars" on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. The block belongs to Chuwit and he has since transformed it into a public park.
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## THE RAZED BEER BARS
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/pre/14539657381453966674l.jpg
- - -

Currently Chuwit is barred from politics for a decade, and he came to the FCCT to speak about what the future could hold for him. He says he wants to launch a television career dealing with the issues that Thai journalists usually overlook. One issue that is fresh in his mind is the enormous amount of women serving time in Thai prisons for minor drug offences.

https://i.imgsafe.org/ddcea13d52.jpg
### Whistle blower or press charmer? Let's Find out....

## CHUWIT'S SPEECH
He focused mainly on his recent incarceration as the focus of this speech. He also pointed out the 2 Army Men who had taken up location at the back of the room to make sure he didn't talk too candid or get too loose with his tongue. Thailand is still a dictatorship after all and Chuwit is a man with many secrets.

https://i.imgsafe.org/ddcec6afae.jpg

He joked about his time inside, but also made it quite clear that he now valued his freedom. He showed the audience slides of some of the more mundane aspects of his life behind bars. There was an elderly inmate who apparently gave amazing foot massages in exchange for cigarettes., and with up to 30 people per room sleeping on the floor, he had plenty of business. Each inmate is given 3 blankets, 1 is laid on the floor to sleep on, one is rolled to use as a pillow, and 1 was to put over you, but in Thailand it is so hot that it was kind of pointless.

An I-phone was a luxury that was readily available in Thai jail, but for a price. To own one inside would set you back about US$10,000. A price only a few could afford. Chuwit had one which he used to take the photos he was showing us. Companionship was available in the form of Thai transgenders or 'ladyboys'.
- - -
## LADYBOY GIRLFRIEND IN PRISON
https://i.imgsafe.org/ddcec2d1b2.jpg
He spent his days as a Nurse's assistant in the infirmary mainly treating patients with HIV and Tuberculosis. The patients with TB share everything with the healthy patients including plates and cutlery so you can understand this is a major concern.

There were many foreigners in prison with him, however he said that the predominant groups he saw were Nigerians and Iranians. Both for drugs. Russians were mostly in for credit card fraud, and the Koreans and Chinese for call-centre scams.

## RANDOM DRUG CHECK
https://i.imgsafe.org/ddd237a7ad.jpg
Overall, it was a very entertaining evening and he happily fielded whatever questions were thrown at him at the end. While he may not be a saint, he speaks his mind and there has a likeable rogue character. He is almost a caricature of a politician, and is a sad reminder of the dismall state of politics in this country. Who knows what the future will bring, lets hope he uses his position in the media to bring about positive change in this country.

## BKKSHADOW & CHUWIT DOING THE SLEDGEHAMMER
https://i.imgsafe.org/ddceb150f2.jpg

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@hilarski ·
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@bkkshadow ·
@hilarski thanks :)
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@steemnews.online ·
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@bkkshadow · (edited)
Thanks for selecting my story, I just read it again and picked up a few errors...oops.
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@richq11 ·
I think I like that guy! Upvoted & Followed!
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@bkkshadow ·
hes certainly an interesting character, I can't help but like him too.
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@andrew-charles ·
What a character and I love his moustache.
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@bkkshadow ·
The stash!
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@timelapse ·
great write up bkkshadow - do happen to know if those razed beer bars over near Phrom Phong?
👍  
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@bkkshadow ·
These ones were a little bit further down Sukhumvit road, around soi 8-10 between Asoke and Nana. You may be thinking of the ones near Sirikit Park, they have also been destroyed.
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@timelapse ·
Oh looks like I was thinking of Benjasiri Park  (as seen from the old food court at the Emporium which I miss)- I included part of the demolition in a time lapse montage video I did a while back - no clue what was there, but did notice some 2 or 3 story housing along the edges when I walked down to get a better look - http://www.steemimg.com/image/Gw0Ix
👍  
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